ELECTRICAL PWRLINE PATROL ACFT IS REPORTED TO THE FAA FOR LOW FLYING.

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ON OCT/XX/94 I WAS CONDUCTING PWRLINE PATROL IN THE CRESTON; IA; AREA. I WOULD TRY TO MAINTAIN AN ALT OF 300 FT AGL WHILE WATCHING FOR OBSTACLES ON THE HORIZON; PEOPLE ON THE SURFACE; AND PWRLINE COURSE CHANGES. BECAUSE OF CONSTANTLY CHANGING TERRAIN ELEVATIONS; EXACT ALT IS DIFFICULT TO ESTIMATE. ALT MUST BE KEPT HIGHER WHEN FLYING OVER/PAST TREES AND TOWNS SO THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO OBSERVE THE COURSE OF THE PWRLINE. THIS ALMOST ASSUREDLY ENSURES MAINTAINING 500 FT FROM PEOPLE ON THE SURFACE. OFTEN; WHILE OVER OPEN FIELDS; I WOULD FLY AT THE LOWER ALT SO THAT MY OBSERVER COULD GET A BETTER LOOK AT THE PWR POLES. I TOOK GREAT CARE TO MAINTAIN 500 FT FROM PEOPLE. WHEN I NOTICED PEOPLE ON THE SURFACE; I WOULD CLB IF LOWER THAN 500 FT OR I WOULD TURN AND CLB TO MAINTAIN THE 500 FT REQUIREMENT. ON A FEW OCCASIONS A PERSON WOULD SUDDENLY EMERGE FROM A BUILDING OR SIMPLY APPEAR IN VIEW FROM SEEMINGLY NOWHERE; AND IT WOULD BE TOO LATE TO AVOID THEM BY 500 FT IF FLYING LOWER THAN 500 FT. SEVERAL TIMES; MY OBSERVER WOULD WAVE AT PEOPLE; AND I HAD NEVER SEEN THEM AS I APCHED THEM. ON THOSE OCCASIONS; IF I WAS LOWER THAN 500 FT; IT WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID THEM BY 500 FT. I ALWAYS TRIED TO MAINTAIN A 500 FT SEPARATION BTWN MY ACFT AND PEOPLE ON THE SURFACE. AT NO TIME WAS THE FLT CONDUCTED IN A MANNER WHICH WAS UNSAFE OR WHICH WOULD CREATE ANY HAZARD TO ANY PERSON OR PROPERTY. UPON MY RETURN TO THE CRESTON ARPT; I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MANY CALLS FROM PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT MY ALT. I WAS TOLD THAT ONE OF THE CALLERS WAS A FARMER WHO SAID I WAS TOO LOW OVER HIS FARM LAND; BUT THAT HE HAD ALSO THREATENED TO KILL HIS BROTHER; SO I SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT HIM. I WAS NOT GIVEN ANY OTHER INFO ABOUT ANY OF THE CALLERS; EXCEPT THAT THE LAW CTR HAD ALSO CALLED SAYING THEY HAD RECEIVED COMPLAINTS. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE MARION; IA; ARPT; WHERE I AM BASED; I WAS TOLD THAT THE FAA HAD CALLED. SOMEONE IN CRESTON RPTED MY N-NUMBER TO THE FAA. THE SECRETARY SAID SHE TOLD THE FAA THAT I WAS FLYING PWRLINE PATROL AND THE FAA CALLER SAID; 'OH; SO HE HAS TO FLY LOW.'